If you’re not wearing your seat belt and you’re injured in an accident in Florida can you still recover money damages?

Of course you can. The seat belt didn’t cause the accident. It may have contributed to some of your injuries, but you’re still entitled to recover from the person who caused the accident. Call us at Colin Gilbert Wright & Carter at 1800-49 LEGAL with any questions about your car accident claim.

By: Mel Wright

How long do you have to file your car accident claim in Florida?

Generally four years, but there are exceptions. Don’t take any chances. You need to hire an experienced Florida car accident lawyer.  I’m Mel Wright. I’m a partner at Colling, Gilbert, Wright, & Carter. Call us at 1-800-49-LEGAL.

By: Mel Wright

Partial Fault, Catastrophic Injury

Yes we can, but that should not dissuade you from contacting an attorney or a law firm. In Florida we are fortunate because we have Pure Comparative Fault. All too often individuals who are involved in a catastrophic injury accident will just decide, “Well I think I was partially at fault so I have no case and therefore I should not contact an attorney.” You don’t want to think that way.

As I mentioned, in Florida we have pure comparative fault. What that means is even if you have been partially at fault – if someone else has been also partially at fault – you can still recover for your percentage of your damages and injuries, even if you are determined to be partially or even mostly at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Orlando Personal Injury

The case that most impacted me was a couple who lost their child to a drowning accident. We were able to recover against the lifeguards and whenever a couple lose a child, you expect as a lawyer – because we see this over and over – you expect to see that couple get divorced. They rarely last more than another five years. It was ten years after this settlement, and I ran into this couple in the local mall, and they were still together. I left there with my wife with a big weight off my chest. I had always wondered what happened to that couple. I’m convinced that the early resolution of the case helped them get counseling and stay together. It really, really impacted me personally. I’m Mel Wright. I’m a partner at Colling Gilbert Wright and Cater. Call us at 180049 legal.

By: Mel Wright

Need An Attorney

You don’t need an attorney for your personal injury case, because you can always pursue the claim on your own. However, it’s a mistake to do so. An attorney can help you carefully evaluate your case, look at the evidence that’s available, evaluate the potential causes of actions or claims that you may be able to bring, and look carefully at any and all persons or entities who may be responsible for your damages. An attorney generally is going to be able to help you recover more money than what you’d be able to recover on your own, and generally that difference is going to be substantial.

Punitive Damages For An Auto Accident

In a Florida auto accident case you sometimes can recover punitive damages. These are damages that are different from compensatory damages, which are the damages that compensate you for your injuries. Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer. In Florida, punitive damages are available in a car accident case, only if you can establish that the defendant, or at-fault driver’s conduct, either was intentional or amounted to gross negligence, which is sometimes also referred to reckless conduct. So it’s a higher threshold that you have to establish in terms of the wrongfulness of the conduct, in order to be entitled to recover punitive damages in your case.

Damage Recovery For Missed Work in Orlando

Another question that I get asked frequently is whether you can recover damages for the time that you’re out of work when you’re injured in a car accident. The answer to that is absolutely. Lost wages, lost earning capacity, those are elements of your damage recovery in a case.  Give me a call. I’m Ron Gilbert with Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter. 1-800-49-LEGAL.

By: Ron Gilbert

If you’re looking for an attorney to handle your car accident case, why should you choose Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter?

Well, we’re experienced trial lawyers. We’ve been around for 30 years. We’ve been handling nothing but personal injury claims in that period of time. So give me a call. I’m Ron Gilbert with Colling Gilbert Wright & Carter. 1-800-49-LEGAL.

By: Ron Gilbert

What Is A Deposition

In any case in litigation, the parties are permitted to take depositions of witnesses, including depositions of the parties in the case. A deposition is basically an interview or a sworn statement, where the attorney for one side sits down at a conference room table and questions the witness or the other party under oath to obtain information and answers about the case.